South Sudan’s First Vice-President has been holding a series of meetings to boost chances to be the deputy chairman of the SPLM party as the largest political organization plans to reunify its factions in Juba on Thursday, sources said.
Gen. Taban Deng Gai is leading a breakaway group of the main SPLM-IO group led by rebel leader Riek Machar.
The Arusha reunification deal was signed on 21 January 2015 under the auspices of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi, Tanzania’s governing party and attempts to reunify three SPLM factions through a conflict resolution mechanism.
The 12-page agreement signed by SPLM led Salva Kiir, SPLM-IO led Riek Machar and SPLM-FDs led Pagan Amum, lays out key steps towards the reunification of the historical party.
Multiple sources told Radio Tamazuj that Gen. Taban met with his loyalists in Juba to drum up support for his candidacy for the post of the deputy chairman of the SPLM part at the SPLM Liberation Council meetings in Juba.
“The move taken by Taban Deng aims at blocking Dr. Riek Machar from his position in the SPLM party. The reunification of the SPLM party will take place in Juba. You know very well that the SPLM Liberation Council meeting will take place on Thursday,” a senior official said.
Agel Riing Machar, a spokesman for the SPLM-IO group led by Taban Deng, said they were ready for the SPLM Liberation Council meeting in Juba to reunify the historical party.
“It’s Taban’s right to aspire for any position within the party if there is any vacancy. If Dr. Riek comes, that position belongs to Dr. Riek, but if he doesn’t come and it is vacant, the party has the right to choose whoever is suitable to fill the position,” he said.
When asked about Gen. Taban’s lobby to be the deputy chairman of the SPLM party, Agel Machar said:” We have not yet done that, but if we are called upon, we will respond.”
“But I am not aware that the First Vice-President has applied for any position within the unified SPLM party,” he added.
Agel said the reunification meeting will go ahead in Juba as planned and that it will be attended by SPLM led Salva Kiir, SPLM-IO led Taban Deng and SPLM-FDs led John Luk in Juba.” Those who do not want to come to Juba to attend the meeting cannot hold the reunification process hostage,” he said.
“The SPLM party cannot wait for them forever. We have a mandate to govern and SPLM is still open when they come,” he added.
Deng Gai Gatluak, leader of the youth wing loyal to the SPLM-IO group led by Taban Deng, said they are demanding the position of the first deputy chairman of the SPLM party.
“H.E Taban Deng Gai has replaced the former first vice president Dr. Riek Machar, so the legitimate leader is Gen. Taban,” Deng said.
“The Arusha reunification agreement at the movement is calling for temporary structures of the SPLM party, not elections. There will be temporary structures as we wait for the general convention when there is lasting peace in our country,” he explained.
“Automatically, when Dr. Riek was replaced by Gen. Taban Deng Gai, of course Gen. Taban will fill the position of the first deputy chairman of SPLM.”
However, Deng said the SPLM Liberation Council will take a decision on the matter. “The tripartite groups have positions… The positions will be deliberated on by the National Liberation Council and they will decide what to do next, but we are not lobbying now for any position,” he said.
“But Taban Deng Gai is the right person to occupy the position of the first deputy chairman of the SPLM party,” he added.
“If there is an agreement, the hierarch of the SPLM party will be automatically distorted. Even the position of the first vice president was not there before. It came as a result of the peace agreement.”
Meanwhile, Peter Adwok Nyaba, a leading member of the SPLM-IO group led by Riek Machar, said the ongoing reunification of the historical party in Juba is illegal, pointing out that Taban Deng was not a signatory of the Arusha reunification agreement.
“There are people who are senior than Taban now in Juba like Wani Igga, Awet Akot and Kuol Manyang, so where will they put those senior people?” he asked.
The senior opposition official said their group is not part of the ongoing reunification of the SPLM partly in Juba.
Majak D'Agoot, a senior member of the former detainees’ group, accused President Salva Kiir and his first deputy Taban Deng of conspiring against the Arusha reunification agreement. He pointed out that his group will not be part of the SPLM Liberation Council meeting in Juba on Thursday.
The ruling SPLM party fractured in December 2013, leading to the ongoing civil war that has killed thousands and forced millions to seek refugees in neighboring countries.